S11.E06: Stephanie's Journey

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

With her weight spiraling, Stephanie needs her mom's help to care for her three kids. Now, she's at the point where she'll have to lose weight or risk not having the chance to see her kids grow up.

Original air date 2023.03.08

[ams1001]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 😴

[magemaud]

The only "journey" we saw tonight was three whine-filled trips to Houston. 

[Tango64]

Oh my god, that breakfast.

[Tango64]

Re the son: I don’t think carrying a sugary drink on the walk is what Dr Now had in mind. 

[Tango64]

“I can lose 10 lbs in a month.”  Damnnnnn. 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Tango64

[swankie]

I can't believe she had the nerve to say Dr. Now treated her unfairly and the next scene is her chomping on a sandwich with chips with her kids.  And then a damn burger with cheese in the next scene.  And her step-dad is proud of the measly 15 lbs she lost...in 6 months!  Why were these losers...or should I say non losers even on the show?! 

[SkateQueen]

I just can't with that messy house.  This is another one that looked like an episode of 600 lb. Life and Hoarders wrapped in one.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

The parents certainly did everything anyone could have asked for, and Stephanie was glad to mooch off of them again.   Stephanie is another patient who thinks the diet is a joke, and she'll get the 'magic' surgery and lose hundreds of pounds, get skin removal, and still eat the same way.     That breakfast turned me off, and I haven't had solid food for one day, and nothing the next day.   Stepfather is as delusional as Stephanie is.   He has a good heart, but he's wasting his time helping Stephanie.       

I wonder how many other diet programs she's failed at?     

Edited March 9, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[BAForever]

51 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

   I wonder how many other diet programs she's failed at?     

All of them.

I get that since they film for up to a year, producers really have no idea who is going to be successful or interesting, but we aren't having much luck this season. Miss Dr. Now saying "Surgery went very well."

[Chatty Cake]

How dare Dr. Now not appreciate her hard work? The entire family needed an intervention. Mom was quite heavy herself, stepdad was enabling and delusional, the oldest son was on the same path and the young children are on their way.
TLC should change the name of the show to Just Eat Yourself to Death.

[rlc]

YOU AREN’T TORTURING YOUR CHILDREN BY FEEDING THEM CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES!

[edie3]

I wonder why all the people traveling don't stay in motels with doors to the rooms from the outside. I know they arent usually as nice. I guess we would miss out on them struggling walking down endless halls.

[ams1001]

16 minutes ago, edie3 said:

I wonder why all the people traveling don't stay in motels with doors to the rooms from the outside. I know they arent usually as nice. I guess we would miss out on them struggling walking down endless halls.

Exactly. I suspect production picks the hotels...

[Pi237]

That Mom was oddly eager to over feed the hell out of Stephanie... You ok? You sure? There's the ice cream and your pizza is over there..is that all you want? Are you sure?...Jesus woman, it was two carts full of junk and she can barely walk...Stop!!!  

So disappointing because Stephanie's kids seemed sweet, and were obviously eager to go on a walk..to do Anything physical with her.  She had the chance to stop this cycle, which is, in my opinion, a form of neglect. I'd never want to leave my kids with a woman who Was happy to feed me to death. She'll do the same to those kids. 

And for Gods sake-Clean that Filthy house!

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Pi237
Grammar

[Lesia]

That workout at the gym was awesome.  She must've burned AT LEAST 8 calories.  Whew.  

[Elizzikra]

5 hours ago, Chatty Cake said:

TLC should change the name of the show to Just Eat Yourself to Death.

Or “Room 5 - Where Dreams Go To Die.”

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Elizzikra said:

Or “Room 5 - Where Dreams Go To Die.”

Dreams? More like delusions. 

[Schnickelfritz]

10 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

Dreams? More like delusions. 

Except the delusion NEVER dies for these people.

[pdlinda]

After last night's insult to my reasons for watching the show, I'm at the point of believing that the producers are using ANYBODY they can scrape up from whatever sources they use to cast for new episodes. 

As with last week's fiasco, it seems like there is almost a script the pounders use throughout the 2 hrs:  the whining, the blaming, the delusional references to how hard they are "trying" and, MOST OF ALL, the almost SCRIPTED family approach to ENABLING their offspring to continue eating as they wish while ignoring the fact that this will lead to their child's inevitable demise.

I understand that the "parents" of these crippled children, have many "issues" caused by THEIR life choices and the misery and trauma they created for their children.  I also understand that, for whatever reason, the "parents" chose to continue assuaging this primary guilt by mistakenly keeping the disabled child dependent on them in every way possible.

We all know that 95% out of 100 people who are morbidly obese will fail at losing the weight even gastric bypass surgery can assist in achieving.  KEEPING that weight off is another subject entirely. 

I lost 100lbs 16 years ago and kept it off (no surgery) and I KNOW how I must manage my eating/exercise routines each and every day WITH NO EXCEPTIONS!  I also know that I have many advantages these pounders didn't have in making the right choices (like the severity of childhood traumas they suffered).  

I'm beginning to believe that there are many years of archived shows that I have videotaped and kept and it's best for me to watch those success stories that were so inspiring to me, like Milla, Diana, Nikki, Doug, Chad, Christina and Cilla, to name a few instead of the new "trainwrecks" I'm viewing each week where the show almost becomes a "satirical" play on dysfunctional families.

Finally, I believe that there are very few(if any) successful new participants for this show because there are MANY "weight loss surgery" opportunities for those really motivated to succeed THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY and, also that most insurance (including medicaid) will pay for it.  The physical, emotional, financial and familial disruptions caused by having to go to HOUSTON to be treated by Dr. Now, is therefore, almost obliterated.

Dr. Now should make a hasty retreat into retirement that he so richly deserves and should enjoy.  His son's company that has had years of being richly compensated for producing the show, should move onto other projects.  

I'm done☺️

[magemaud]

8 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

He has a good heart, but he's wasting his time helping Stephanie.   

I guess the whole family has infantalized and treated Stephanie with kid gloves her entire life and are afraid of her wrath. 

[magemaud]

2 minutes ago, pdlinda said:

Finally, I believe that there are very few(if any) successful new participants for this show because there are MANY "weight loss surgery" opportunities for those really motivated to succeed THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY and, also that most insurance (including medicaid) will pay for it.  The physical, emotional, financial and familial disruptions caused by having to go to HOUSTON to be treated by Dr. Now, is therefore, almost obliterated.

When the show first started, Dr. Now was touted as one of "only a handful" of bariatric surgeons in the country who would operate of people weighing over 600 pounds. Then recently we've learned about at least two other surgeons, Dr. Proctor and Dr. Smith, located in the South, who perform the same surgery but might be closer to where the poundticipant lives. Now I'm willing to bet there are dozens more out there who have invested in the Da Vinci Robot and/or the extra long surgical tools needed to operate on the morbidly obese! Surely there are some on the West Coast who would be an alternative to a trip to Houston. 

The show has gotten more and more sensational instead of showing us true weight loss journeys. 

[edie3]

3 hours ago, magemaud said:

Now I'm willing to bet there are dozens more out there

I worked in medical care and the hospital I worked at has been doing them for years. 

[pdlinda]

10 minutes ago, edie3 said:

I worked in medical care and the hospital I worked at has been doing them for years. 

That may  not have been the case when the show launched 11 yrs ago.....

[Breedom]

11 hours ago, Chatty Cake said:

the oldest son was on the same path and the young children are on their way.

During the five minutes on the show where she tried to cut back on her eating habits, she mentioned she was sorry that because she was eating healthy, that her kids had to as well. WHAT? This lady will never succeed because deep down she doesn't understand the link between eating massive amounts of junk food and health.

4 hours ago, pdlinda said:

As with last week's fiasco, it seems like there is almost a script the pounders use throughout the 2 hrs: 

Another thing is when the 600 pounder visits the doctor's office, the nurse's assistant that throws the door open after calling out their name always has the same dead expression. Never a welcoming smile. Good grief. How depressing.

Also, after Dr. Now leaves the exam room, the 600 pounder and their enabler just sit there, silent, for what seems like minutes. No reaction to what was said? Advised? Plus they are always "okay" to anything Dr. Now suggests, with no feeling, nothing. They probably already know they aren't going to even try, yet they keep coming back. Stephanie lost 12 pounds total. THAT IS NOT EVEN TRYING. That was a half of pizza she once declined and didn't eat during the four month break between visits.

[Elizzikra]

Quote

We all know that 95% out of 100 people who are morbidly obese will fail at losing the weight even gastric bypass surgery can assist in achieving.  KEEPING that weight off is another subject entirely. 

For that reason, this season seems more reflective of real life. Most people who try will fail. The ones who fail don't really make for great television though. If the show really does operate as advertised - they start filming some number of people in Month 1 and they really don't know who will succeed and who won't by Month 12 - we would expect to see mostly failures and few surgeries. But in most seasons, we see more success, at least in terms of getting to surgery. 

Quote

I guess the whole family has infantalized and treated Stephanie with kid gloves her entire life and are afraid of her wrath. 

They really didn't, though. Her parents split when she was really young and she lived in a car with her mom and siblings for awhile. Then CPS found out that the family was homeless and removed the kids, so Stephanie went into foster care and stayed there for four years with it seemed, multiple placements. They finally get reunited and then it seemed they had stable house and that's where the infantilizing started.

[edie3]

6 hours ago, pdlinda said:

That may  not have been the case when the show launched 11 yrs ago.....

I remember one of the first patients, it was in the 80's and did not go well.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I would not be surprised to find out that Dr. Now's program wasn't the first time Stephanie tried to get weight loss help, or surgery either.     She didn't seem all that surprised at her weight, or being given the diet book by Dr. Now, or hearing the rules he outlined.    

Stephanie is so selfish, expecting her ailing mother to watch her kids for a couple of weeks for each drive to Houston, and even for the flight down it would be for a few days.     What a coincidence that her oldest was always 'sick' when she was supposed to bring him to Houston with her.    A 16-year-old who weighs 400 lbs needs help, and a chance to change, and that would take attention away from Stephanie, so she never intended to take him to see Dr. Now.  

[cynicat]

12 hours ago, edie3 said:

I worked in medical care and the hospital I worked at has been doing them for years. 

Were these for patients that were ~600lbs? I'm not doubting, just curious.

IIRC, there was an explanation somewhere (maybe not on this show) about what it takes to deal with people that big.  It's not just the right surgical equipment.  It was the surgical table, the hospital bed, endotracheal tubes, and a whole slew of other ways the hospital has to have special adaptations to accomodate their massiveness.

On 3/8/2023 at 10:12 PM, ams1001 said:

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 😴

I'm embarassed to say that it's taken me way too long to realize I can watch this show on DVR at 1.5x speed.  It helps.  The only time I have to go back to 1x is when Dr. Now talks.  While listening to him at high speed is entertaining, it's unintelligible to me. 😁

[ams1001]

4 hours ago, cynicat said:

I'm embarassed to say that it's taken me way too long to realize I can watch this show on DVR at 1.5x speed.  It helps.  The only time I have to go back to 1x is when Dr. Now talks.  While listening to him at high speed is entertaining, it's unintelligible to me. 😁

I don't have that option for TV but that usually is how I watch youtube and listen to most podcasts.

[magemaud]

7 hours ago, cynicat said:

While listening to him at high speed is entertaining, it's unintelligible to me. 😁

Even at regular speed, he's gotten more and more unintelligible over the years. But we know basically know what he's saying:

"Hi, how ya'll doin'"

"If you don't change your eating habit, you're not going to be around much longer"

"Is this your enabler?" 

"If you need anything, give me a call" and others

I noticed when I watched the repeat of Marla's story last night, you can tell what season we're in by the amount of "flair" on Dr. Now's lab coat lapels. He's added to it over the years, now it kind of reminds me of a Boy Scout merit badge sash. 

 

[ChristmasJones]

This episode did something that I have rarely seen on any other episode. When they stopped at the fast -food drive through on their first road trip to Houston, they included the fast food employee saying, "and that will be $47.xx"  - they usually never mention the price of the food they're buying.  They must have spent easily $400 each way just on food on that trip.  

[Elizzikra]

3 hours ago, ChristmasJones said:

This episode did something that I have rarely seen on any other episode. When they stopped at the fast -food drive through on their first road trip to Houston, they included the fast food employee saying, "and that will be $47.xx"  - they usually never mention the price of the food they're buying.  They must have spent easily $400 each way just on food on that trip.  

Where did they eat that had fast food egg rolls AND burgers? I was fascinated!

[ams1001]

16 minutes ago, Elizzikra said:

Where did they eat that had fast food egg rolls AND burgers? I was fascinated!

Someone in the chat the other night said it was Jack in the Box. I don't have that here so if there was anything to signify it I wouldn't recognize it, but google tells me they do have egg rolls.

Speaking of fast food, I mentioned in chat that I had broken my 4-year streak of not having fast food (after getting sick the day after the last time I had it) and this morning my facebook memories served up this:

Note to self: Next time you think you want McDonald's, remember this weekend.

Edited March 10, 2023 by ams1001

[ChristmasJones]

I know it wouldn't help, particularly now with food prices being what they are, but I always wished they would include the financial aspect of overeating in this series.  I thought it would make for a good segment to have a budgeting person sit down and total up their food bill for a week, and then go to the local grocery store and see what they could buy with that money.   Also, for them to compare their monthly food spending against their total budget and see what percentage is going to food. It might be a bit of wake-up call for some of them. 

[Elizzikra]

5 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Someone in the chat the other night said it was Jack in the Box. I don't have that here so if there was anything to signify it I wouldn't recognize it, but google tells me they do have egg rolls.

Speaking of fast food, I mentioned in chat that I had broken my 4-year streak of not having fast food (after getting sick the day after the last time I had it) and this morning my facebook memories served up this:

Note to self: Next time you think you want McDonald's, remember this weekend.

I don’t have Jack in the Box either, so maybe that’s why I didn’t recognize it.

Also, well-played, Facebook memories…

[Snarkastikate]

Filthy house full of kids with no obvious involved fathers all developing weight issues of their own. Nice.  Enabler obese mom.  A stepdad who is going way way above & beyond trying to help the situation. Perhaps he's trying to keep Stephanie around so he & his wife don't have to raise the kids, and I don't blame him). A whiney sad sack bad attitude b*tch who won't do jack sh*t to help herself but somehow blames Dr Now for not recognizing how she (didn't) make changes. Sad he wasn't inspiring enough for her LOL. 

As someone mentioned, when they start filming, the show doesn't know who will be successful & who won't be.  But it almost seems as though Dr Now is showing us that there are some folks who cannot be helped no matter how dire the consequences, how sick they are, how painful life is, or who else has to suffer.....their desire to eat is more important than anything else in their lives.  Insidious mental disorder. 

(And YES I too have wondered often why these folks just can't get motel rooms where they're not in elevators or struggling down long hallways, it's not as though most are accustomed to the finer things in life LOL.  So I assume it's about the film crew, since they need to be in same hotel to be readily available to get those breaking the bed or falling on the floor scenes). 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Snarkastikate
Typo

[pdlinda]

On 3/10/2023 at 4:44 PM, ChristmasJones said:

Also, for them to compare their monthly food spending against their total budget and see what percentage is going to food. It might be a bit of wake-up call for some of them.

As with all other aspects of their behavior (understanding that before a person is 600 lbs, he/she's 500 lbs, 400 lbs, 300lbs and 200lbs) compulsive eating is an ADDICTION!  As with any other addiction, the person KNOWS what they're doing is not healthy and self-destructive, but cannot stop doing it.

Compulsive eating addicts are the most complex to treat inasmuch as a person HAS TO EAT to live.  It's not like other addictions where you can excise alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs, gambling or shopping (among other things) from your life and survive.  The food is ALWAYS around tempting you.

Most of the participants on the show appear to come from highly dysfunctional families who inflicted major trauma on them (or parented them when they were going through major trauma).

That is why, IMO, there are so very FEW success stories.  When there IS a success (and there have been many OVER THE YEARS) it really should be considered a "miracle!"  Success overcoming ANY addiction is worthy of celebration; however, with food, in particular (I'm an example) it's a day by day by day triumph choosing life over death with many factors allowing for Recovery.  First  and foremost, it's developing the strongest will imaginable to resist constant culinary temptations thrust upon you by well-meaning people and sticking to an eating plan/exercise routine that works for YOU.

Stephanie shows NO SIGNS of being able to fight herself out of her miserable eating addiction.  Her parents are certainly no help. Her children, the next generation of sufferers.  SAD!

[FormeryHeavyJ]

Hi Everyone.  Have not been doing the live chat this year being that I am up at 3am for the gym.  I look forward to reading the comments afterwards but cannot find the live chats anymore on the site.  Did they get moved to another location?

Snarkingly Yours,

Formerly Heavy J

On 3/9/2023 at 9:22 AM, edie3 said:

I wonder why all the people traveling don't stay in motels with doors to the rooms from the outside. I know they arent usually as nice. I guess we would miss out on them struggling walking down endless halls.

Whenever there is someone truly annoying on the show I always pray for a 3rd floor room with no elevator.  Oh please please please let there no elevator.  Please.

[FormeryHeavyJ]

On 3/9/2023 at 10:40 AM, Lesia said:

That workout at the gym was awesome.  She must've burned AT LEAST 8 calories.  Whew.  

Have to say it was better than the guy a year or two ago who was doing seated curls with his 40 oz mug of soda.  Remember...he was the one from a northern state (Minnesota?  Montana?) wearing flip flops in the snow.

[ams1001]

38 minutes ago, FormeryHeavyJ said:

 I look forward to reading the comments afterwards but cannot find the live chats anymore on the site.  Did they get moved to another location?

There's just one mega-chat thread that opens at the start of the episode and closes after it's over.

This week's episode chat starts here:

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

8 hours ago, FormeryHeavyJ said:

Have to say it was better than the guy a year or two ago who was doing seated curls with his 40 oz mug of soda.  Remember...he was the one from a northern state (Minnesota?  Montana?) wearing flip flops in the snow.

That was Ryan, he never even made it to Dr. Now's for a visit.   Season 10 Episode 7. 

The only difference between Ryan and Stephanie is that she actually made it to Dr. Now's office three times, but Ryan never left Montana.   

Edited March 12, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[Scarlett45]

Auntie’s Advice (a YouTube reaction channel) stated that the step father looked familiar to her- he has the patience of a saint. I am not surprised Stephanie’s Mom is enabling her (#MommyGuilt) and she probably wants to be around for her grandchildren. 
 

Stephanie was stuck in the “victimhood mentality”. She paid lip service to wanting to be there for her kids, and not wanting to cause her Mom more stress, but she didn’t do a single thing Dr Now asked. When her step father asked “is that the right portion?” And she replied “I don’t know” I knew we were not going to see any progress- you can order a food scale on Amazon and have it to your house in two days!

Her kids were precious and her daughter seemed excited to go bike riding with her. It’s likely her poor health has but a lot of responsibility on her eldest, who may use food to cope emotionally in addition to the unhealthy habits he witnessed. 

[CapeCodLuv]

 

This was a sad episode, Stephanie had a rough life, foster care is awful. Mom wanted so bad to make up for her past failures that she gave in to Stephanie's addiction and fed her anything she wanted. Stepdad Martin was wonderful, but he did as instructed by Mom and Stephanie. The children will follow suit and the cycle will repeat.

 

My parents died when I was a child due to heart attack and cancer. I was lucky because I did not go to foster care, a relative raised me and when I began to enjoy alcohol a bit too much it was squashed. I was also guided through high school, college, first job etc. As I understand it, there is no support in some foster care situations, so I cannot compare. Food must have been her only comfort.

 

The amount of food she ate was grotesque. She is still wallowing in the past, and Mom is enabling. It's lousy to have had a difficult childhood, but you need to piss or get off the pot as my grandmother would say. Do you choose to stay mired in the past or improve yourself?

The other issue I see often, is there is no push to better oneself. Was there any education path for Stephanie, or was it always going to be collecting of some sort? She said that after her first child she got a wait list for housing and there she was, same house after the 3rd child. She has never held a job and had to leave the house; she simply had more children. If she went to community college it would clearly help the pounds to come off. I just don't get how she affords all that junk food.

I do not understand how she can afford all that food. My husband and I must be very careful with our budget. We made a HUGE mistake this week by not understanding the price of fresh cod. We only buy it about 4 times a year as a treat, but we thought it was on sale. Boy, were we surprised when we paid, so embarrassing to over spend. It came out of our own pocket and of course I pointed out we will freeze, but it's just awful to make a mistake. Her breakfast made me sick. I cannot imagine waking up every day and expecting pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, and sausage. That was a Christmas breakfast for me growing up. Her kids are doomed if they think that’s normal.

Stephanie feels she put in a lot of work. Dr. Now sees work as pounds measured on the scale, she lost none. How can this be hard for her to understand? Did she ever watch the show? I'm sad her Stepdad agreed with her that she was wronged by Dr. Now instead of reading her the riot act. Her poor kids, they have such bad examples in life. She will never lose weight, what a shame.

[Scarlett45]

I agree with your post @CapeCodLuv- I am glad you didn’t have to go through foster care and were raised by a loving relative. I understand why Stephanie’s mom felt guilty, and I understand why Stephanie turned to food to cope with her traumas. But at this point she’s no longer a child and she has THREE children to think about. She knows she needs to change and has been given so many tools and support. What would happen if her mom got sick and then she couldn’t take care of her kids any more? I know she doesn’t want them to experience the system or her eldest to have to finish raising them. 

As far as affording the food- most addicts will do what they need to do to feed their addiction; and as far as substances go, highly palatable processed food is the cheapest and most accessible “substance” there is. A trip to the dollar store can keep you in thousands of excess calories. But she did have a lot of ham- my Mom and sister like bacon quite a bit (I’m a vegetarian) and I know it’s not cheap when I’ve put in Costco orders for my mom. 

[gaPeach]

On 3/9/2023 at 12:09 AM, Tango64 said:

“I can lose 10 lbs in a month.”  Damnnnnn. 

She could lose that just taking a dump after that breakfast for 8 she just ate.

 

15 hours ago, CapeCodLuv said:

Her breakfast made me sick. I cannot imagine waking up every day and expecting pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, and sausage. That was a Christmas breakfast for me growing up. Her kids are doomed if they think that’s normal.

speaking of her breakfast, don't forget that slab of ham she had on the 3rd plate of food.

[pdlinda]

4 hours ago, gaPeach said:

She could lose that just taking a dump after that breakfast for 8 she just ate.

 

speaking of her breakfast, don't forget that slab of ham she had on the 3rd plate of food.

I think that when a 600 lb food addict gets into her/his addiction each and every day, the fat, salt, sugar and carbs hit his/her system like a flavor "bomb."

I doubt they can even differentiate between and among the numerous foods they're eating!!  It all kicks in similarly to fill their emotional "void" and permit them to lapse into a "food coma" so to speak.

I note that when Dr. Now asks them about their "food habit" and what they actually eat, there's often a pause.  I think it's like a  jumble in their head because one food blends into the other on a constant basis.

 

[Natalie68]

On 3/10/2023 at 3:07 PM, Elizzikra said:

Where did they eat that had fast food egg rolls AND burgers? I was fascinated!

Don't know where they ate but Jack in the Box has both!

[libgirl2]

On 3/12/2023 at 7:16 PM, Scarlett45 said:

As far as affording the food- most addicts will do what they need to do to feed their addiction; and as far as substances go, highly palatable processed food is the cheapest and most accessible “substance” there is. A trip to the dollar store can keep you in thousands of excess calories. But she did have a lot of ham- my Mom and sister like bacon quite a bit (I’m a vegetarian) and I know it’s not cheap when I’ve put in Costco orders for my mom. 

You can also stock up on ham relatively cheap after the holidays/Easter.

[MsVixen]

4 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

You can also stock up on ham relatively cheap after the holidays/Easter.

A to the Men, Libgirl2!!!  I still have ham in my freezer from Christmas!